How to Grow and Care for Common bugle

Common bugle, also known as Carpet bugleweed, Blue Bugle, Bugleherb, Carpenter's Herb

Common bugle is a low-maintenance, resilient ground cover known for its adaptability in a range of garden conditions. Special care points include ensuring moist, well-drained soil and partial to full shade exposure for optimal growth. Common bugle may require occasional trimming to control spread, as it can be invasive in favorable environments.

Watering schedule: Every week

Sunlight Requirements: Partial sun

In This Article

Planting and Growing Common bugle

Toughness	High
Care Level	Medium
Care Difficulty	Easy
Lifespan	Perennial, Annual
Watering Schedule	Every week
Sunlight Requirements	Partial sun
Soil Type	Garden Soil
Soil pH	6-7.5
Planting Time	Spring, Fall
Hardiness Zones	4-10

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Varieties of Common bugle

Common bugle 'Blueberry Muffin'

Common bugle 'Blueberry Muffin' is a vigorously growing perennial ground cover plant that offers a thick mat of green-brown foliage with tall spikes of deep purple flowers that appear in spring. It is a cultivar of the Bugleweed plant, named for the color of its blooms. It's a fabulous choice to plant in shady spots in your garden where lawn grass won’t grow.

Common bugle 'Chocolate Chip'

Common bugle 'Chocolate Chip' is a dwarf-sized cultivar of the Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans). Unlike its parent plant's foliage that can grow up to 8 cm, this cultivar develops leaves no taller than 5 cm. Common bugle 'Chocolate Chip' is named after the bronze-brown, chocolate-like color of the foliage.

Common bugle 'Atropurpurea'

While its parent plant Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) has deep green foliage, the common bugle 'Atropurpurea' cultivar was selected to have darker, purple-bronze leaves. The cultivar was named after this feature—"atro" means "dark" and "purpurea" refers to the color purple.

Common bugle 'Catlin's Giant'

Common bugle 'Catlin's Giant' is a large-leaf cultivar of the Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), hence the name "giant." Unlike its parent plant, this cultivar has purple-brown leaves and it's selected to be notably hardier. Common bugle 'Catlin's Giant' has gained the prestigious award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Common bugle 'Burgundy Glow'

Common bugle 'Burgundy Glow' is a Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) cultivar, selected for its tricolor foliage—the leaves feature dark green and burgundy leaves with contrasting creamy-white margins. The cultivar name 'Burgundy glow' refers to the most dominant and distinctive shade in this plant's characteristic leaves.

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More General Info About Common bugle

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Common bugle displays a lush carpet of foliage year-round, with leaves ranging from oval to nearly round shape. This vigorous grower forms a dense mat up to 3-4 inches (7.6–10 cm) high. The foliage can sometimes showcase a hint of bronze. From spring to early summer, it boasts upright spires of small, tubular, purple flowers which create a striking contrast against the greenery. Ideal for ground cover, common bugle is recognized by its tendency to spread via stolons, rooting at nodes and forming an interconnected network.